Battle Operation, Set! Ride On!
by Artemis Ignitan
Summary: Battle Network x Star Force crossover. It's the summer after graduation, and everyone is set to go their separate ways. But a strange epidemic is spreading-and oddly enough, it affects Navis as well as humans! It's the prelude to a new adventure!
1. Chapter 1

**[A/N]: So yeah, this is a story I've been thinking about for a long time, ever since I started musing about how the Clockman scenario in _Operate: Shooting Star_ could be improved. Such as, actually having a game-wide plot. I have no clue why I'm bothering to try and write this. I'll never finish it, same as my other fics. But the Tumblr RnR fandom somehow encouraged me to try and start writing it, so there you go! Battle, Set! Ride On!**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_It's amazing to think that I've managed to make it this far. This hypothesis I've put out, the "Link Hypothesis," it's sure to change the world and bring about a bright future! The future that I've been so lucky to see! _

_I knew that Rockman and I had an amazing power between us. Seeing that power in the future…it gives me great hope for mankind. But I know, if I want that future to take place, I can't simply wait for it! No, we must work towards it, no matter what! Seeing that future only cemented the resolve that Rockman and I already had!_

_After all, I promised him that I'd do all I can to bring about his future. In return, he promised me that he would make sure to keep that future bright. I won't let him down!_

(0-0-0-0)

"Netto-kun!"

"Oh, everyone!" Netto turned eagerly to face his friends. He had been waiting with pent-up energy at his doorstep for the past fifteen minutes. It was a miracle that he had been able to stand still that long, but it was an important day. To tell the truth, every day in this summer would be important, because this was the summer after their graduation from Akihara Town's elementary school. After this summer, they'd all start going their separate ways. But this evening was particularly special. Apparently, there would be a bunch of shooting stars out tonight, and his friends had resolved to go out on an evening picnic.

Oddly enough, Meiru had a worried expression on her face when she came up to him first, holding her own basket close to her.

"Netto-kun, did you hear the news?"

"Ehhh? What news?"

"The only news that's been going on is that strange epidemic that's been spreading…" Rockman mused from inside the PET, which only made Netto whine.

"Ne, Rockman, don't think so negatively when we're about to go on the picnic-!"

"But that's just it!" interrupted Meiru, just as Dekao and Yaito showed up. "It's Mariko-sensei! She's caught it!"

"What?" Netto and Rockman both reeled back in shock. The epidemic that had been on the news had been going on for the past week. What made it frightening was that it seemed to be indiscriminate-it infected both humans and Navis alike and made them fall ill quickly. Scientists had likened the symptoms to some sort of radiation poisoning, but the locations were too widespread to pinpoint an actual source, and the victims too varied to effectively broadcast any warnings or predictions. All that could be done was to quarantine the affected, and try to salvage any possible evidence before the immediate area around the victims became unsafe-whatever the illness was, it made the victims emit some strange radiation that affected both Navis and humans around it. Trying to analyze the emissions was difficult and slow going, as no one had figured out any way to safely collect it for analysis. Even with the widespread terror, it still seemed like such a distant event. Nobody in Akihara Town had gotten sick yet…until now.

"How…how is she?" Netto, for once, was uncharacteristically quiet. After all, Mariko-sensei had been an important figure in his life during his time at the school.

"We don't know. By the time we got there, they'd already quarantined her up!" Dekao exclaimed, looking every bit as frustrated as Netto felt.

"They wouldn't even let us send up a message for her! How rude!" Yaito sniffed. Netto couldn't help but sigh as the four of them started walking off. What a damper to put on their trip!

"Are you absolutely sure that we can't visit?"

"Absolutely!" Yaito huffed as she was wont to do when she got impatient. "We wouldn't be so late if we hadn't spent so much time trying to get in! I know you like playing the hero and all, but there's no way either you or Rockman could get in to visit her, so you might as well just come with us!"

"But-!"

"Netto-kun, she's right. Besides, do you think Mariko-sensei would want to see us all upset like this?"

"I guess not, but still…"

"Then, let's go!" And before Netto could say another word, Meiru had grabbed his arm and started running, forcing the others to speed up in order to keep up. This started a series of teasing and jokes between the four, and in their laugher, Mariko-sensei's condition was gently shoved to the backs of their minds.

(0-0-0-0)

Waiting for something to happen got boring very quickly, especially since Yaito insisted on quiet in order to be able to "appreciate the rare wonders of nature" more easily. Looking up at the starry sky, waiting and with nothing to distract him, led to Netto thinking about the news he had heard earlier today. Too bad it was some kind of natural sickness, not something like some sort of internet terrorist organization, or some evil harebrained scheme. At least then he and Rockman could work together to beat them. It felt terrible to not be able to do anything…

"Look! Up there!"

"Shhh, Dekao!"

The voices of his friends shook Netto out of his stupor and he looked up, letting out a sound of delight as he saw the first batch of shooting stars streaking through the sky.

"Woah, amazing, right, Rockman?"

"Aah, Netto-kun!"

"Quiet!"

Really, Yaito was being the loudest of all, and everyone had to suppress a sigh in order to not invoke more of her wrath. Instead, they all looked up, and Netto found himself wishing that he could do something about this strange illness. He picked one of the stars that had caught his eye, a particularly bright, blue one, and wished fervently…before he stood up, shocking everyone else and knocking over a few plates of food.

"Guys, look!"

"Netto, what did I say about being quiet-"

"No, you don't understand! _LOOK!"_

They all looked at the direction he was pointing at, and gasped. The star that Netto had just wished on had separated from the rest, as if it had suddenly started to fall-and it was headed in their direction!

The other three got up, ready to run, but before they could get very far, Glide calculated that it was safer to stay just where they were-the meteor was set to fall in the woods beyond the clearing they were in. Once their safety was assured, Netto immediately wanted to go after it, and did so once they saw the blue streak of light fall past the tree line, despite Rockman's attempts to persuade him not to. Dekao would not be outdone, and eventually the two girls followed as well despite their misgivings.

When they reached the location where Glide had calculated the shooting star should have landed, they were all startled at what they saw.

* * *

**[[ooc]]: ugh ugh ugh IT'S SO CLICHÉ YOU GUYS IT'S ALL SO CLICHÉ**

**LOOK AT IT CLICHÉ CLICHÉ EVERYWHERE**

**But really, writing static characters is surprisingly hard. I want to get into these kids _minds_ and make them come to life, and it's so difficult because THEY DON'T CHANGE. Everything seems stilted and predictable and writing them feels all…dry and eugh. It doesn't help that it's been a fair amount of time since I've played a Battle Network game. Maybe I can ask my little brothers, they played them recently enough. slgskaldgjadsf.**

**Anyways, I've got a poll for you guys! See, the idea for this game is going to be revisiting past bosses. I've already picked out the boss for the Fire element and Null element, but I need three more bosses, because I'm structuring this out similarly to a video game storyline. So I'm polling to see what you people want to see in this story, if I actually get around to writing it! Any boss from Battle Networks 1-6 are fine! The poll is on my Livejournal account, so I'll put a link up to it in my profile picture, but if you don't want to do that, feel free to just send me a PM! The bosses that are needed is one Elec Element boss, one Water Element boss, and one Wood Element boss!**


	2. Chapter 2

**[A/N]: Well...nothing much to say here. Just another short chapter. Let's go!**

* * *

**_Chapter 2_**

"Eeeh? There's nothing here!" Netto exclaimed, to everyone else's surprise. None of them believed him, and rushed to catch up, to see for themselves.

"Don't try to trick us like that!" Yaito exclaimed. "Glide has the best calculation programs that money can afford installed into him! There's no way he'd get it…wrong?"

But Glide was wrong, and Netto was correct. The forest clearing was completely empty. There wasn't even any dust, or lingering heat, or a burning smell, or the smallest crater. It was as if nothing had fallen.

"Hey, Glide, what's the big idea?" Yaito screeched. "You shouldn't have gotten that wrong!" Glide merely bowed.

"I apologize, Yaito-sama, but as you know, my calculating equipment is not made for projecting the movements of astral bodies. That data is restricted to the highest scientific departments and beyond your money's reach. The best I could give was the best estimate civilians could afford."

This only prompted a frustrated scream from Yaito. It was up to Meiru to try and talk some sense into her as Netto and Dekao huddled together. Dekao spoke first.

"You saw it fall around here, though, didn't ya?"

"Of course! We all did!"

"Then we can't be too far off, right? We should look around nearby for a bit!"

"That's just what I was thinking! Right!" The last word was yelled out loud, startling everyone else. "We'll all look around for a bit nearby here! Anyone got any problems with that?"

"I don't know, Netto-kun…We're already pretty far in…" Leave it to Meiru to be the reasonable one.

"No problem! We don't need to go that far; I bet that it's close by! We can all meet up back here in ten minutes! Everyone ready?"

It took a few minutes to decide where everyone would be going. When they all split up, Netto and Rockman were left alone.

"This is so exciting, Rockman! A shooting star, landing here!"

"Aah, Netto-kun! But…be careful, alright? I felt something…"

"Eh? What?"

"I don't know…it just feels like there's a lingering trace of something. It made me feel a little…off…"

As Rockman said that, the screen of the PET flickered on and off, and was temporarily distorted by static.

"Rockman? Are you alright?"

"A…ah…yes…I think there's something interfering with the PET's functions…"

"What is it? Can you tell?" Rockman shook his head.

"No, not really. It's the same thing I felt before, from just when the meteor hit-or should have hit-the ground…maybe it was made up of something weird, Netto-kun?"

"Maybe…?" They continued walking around the site, before a scream came from the PET. "Rockman?"

Rockman was facing against some small round figures, shooting at them with his Rock Buster. They looked distracted, and fell quickly, but there was a lot of them.

"Viruses, inside the PET! I need a Battle Chip quickly, Netto-kun!"

"R-right! Battle Chip, Cannon!"

Luckily, the viruses were quite weak, and a few Cannon blasts easily dispatched them.

"Ne, Rockman…that was kind of strange, wasn't it?"

"Mm, it was. Viruses need some kind of internet connection to get into devices, they can't just randomly jack into a device unless somebody purposefully put them in…"

"And there wasn't anything like that at all, was there?"

"No, not at all. It was like they just suddenly…jumped in. And they looked strange…"

"Strange, Rockman?"

"I mean…they looked like Mettaurs, Netto-kun. But there were a few small differences; they didn't look completely like the Mettaurs we've seen. They had some strange antenna on their head, and they looked like they were lost…it was like they didn't know how to get around the PET…"

"But isn't that what viruses were made to do? Invade things? Surely they'd get around quickly…"

"That's what I thought, Netto-kun, but, they spent more time wandering around than fighting me. Maybe I wasn't their target?"

"Lost viruses? That's just strange, Rockman…"

"Mmm, it is. This place is weird, Netto-kun, perhaps we should meet up with the others…"

"Ah, maybe we should…"

Meeting up with the other three only led to more confusion, as they had all run into the strange rogue viruses as well. Nobody was hurt, but Roll did admit to feeling a little tired. The strange event was strange enough to motivate them to leave (albeit reluctantly in Netto's and Dekao's case). One case of "lost" viruses was strange enough. Four encounters all in the same area pretty much confirmed that something strange was going on.

"But where could they have come from?" Rockman wondered aloud after he and Netto had said good-bye to the others and regaled their parents with the strange story.

"Maybe the meteor?" Netto responded. It was an absentminded suggestion that sounded rather muffled due to his head being halfway in his shirt (he was changing into pajamas for the night).

"Netto-kun, we don't even know if the meteor even hit there or not! For all we know, it could have disintegrated before it hit the ground…"

"Even Glide admitted that the size of the meteor meant that it should have left something, Rockman! Besides, it's not like we haven't fought viruses on a meteor before!"

"Yeah, but that asteroid was…unique. You know that…"

"Hmph, I guess. But still, that doesn't mean there couldn't be others, you know!"

"I guess, Netto-kun. But that doesn't explain how they got in the PET…it wasn't like there was any infrared signals or direct links into the PET's port that they could use to get in…those must have been some very strange viruses, if they could get into such things on their own…"

"Sounds pretty dangerous too, Rockman. You sure you got them all, right?"

"Mmhm, I did. Do you think that was all of them, whatever jumped into ours and the other's PET's?"

"Not sure. Maybe we should go back there tomorrow, Rockman?"

"Only if you promise to be careful, Netto-kun!"

"I got it, I got it!"

* * *

**[[ooc]]: Blagh. Writing flat characters is hard. I want to get to plot. Which I will. Eventually. Once I figure out how to link these scenarios up. And stop writing for the Bad End Alternate Universe Star Force fic that I've been writing. Ugh. Also, I've only got one response on the bosses so far, so feel free to send me PMs about which Aqua, Elec, and Wood boss from Battle Network you want to see in the story! Until next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

**[A/N]: Blugh, more short chapters. Next one will be longer, considering we're finally starting to get into the plot (and that I've finished the Star Force bad end AU fic)! Let's go!**

* * *

**_Chapter 3_**

True to his word, the next day saw Netto wandering around the supposed crash site with Rockman once more.

"Rockman! Can you detect anything weird?"

"Mmm…there's some of that stuff that was interfering with the PET last night just before the virus attack, but nowhere near as much as last night, Netto-kun. There's only a trace of it left, and it barely affects the PET's signal. Whatever it was, Netto-kun, it seems to have faded away…"

"Darn…not even any stray viruses, either?"

"No. Sorry, Netto-kun...it looks like we've hit a dead end for clues."

"Heeeh…maybe it was just a freak meteor after all, Rockman. That's too bad…it would have been nice to see a freshly fallen star, wouldn't it?"

"Technically, meteors aren't _stars_, Netto-kun…"

"Details, details!"

**0-0-0-0-0**

"Eh? Why can't you come out today, Meiru-chan?"

"I'm just worried about Roll, Netto-kun. Fighting those really weird viruses really took a lot out of her, it looks like. She still hasn't fully recovered."

"Huh. You think maybe one of them had some kind of special attack or something? It coulda left her with a status condition of some sort…"

"That's a good idea, Netto-kun, but the PET's monitors haven't detected anything like that, Netto-kun, just a really severe case of exhaustion."

"Yeah, but Roll's a special custom-made Navi, right? Just fighting viruses shouldn't put her out of commission like that, there has to be something weird about them!"

"Netto-kun's right, Meiru-chan," Rockman commented. "It could be a new status effect. You might want to use some data repair kits on her just in case…it is probably a good idea to keep her home today, though. She shouldn't be navigating if she's that tired."

"Yeah. I bet that and some rest is all that she needs. Hey, if she's still not feeling well tomorrow, I can take you and her to see my dad at SciLab! I bet he'd know what to do, wouldn't he?"

"That sounds good…thanks for going through the trouble, Netto-kun. I know he's busy and all, so it's great that you'd try to get some time for me and Roll…"

"Hey, what are friends for, right?"

**0-0-0-0-0**

Netto was still musing over Meiru's and Roll's predicament when he was eating dinner with his mother.

"Ne, mama, papa's coming home tomorrow from SciLab, right?"

"Mm, it looks like it. They can't find any more information on that strange radiation, so until they can gather more evidence, they're sending him home for a small break."

"So if I go to SciLab just before he comes home, I can catch him while he's not busy, right?"

"Yes, of course…why do you ask?"

"It's just Roll, mama…Meiru-chan's really worried about her, that's all. She's been really tired since last night, and the PET's sensors don't indicate anything wrong, but it's still worrying, you know?"

"…Netto-kun?" The sudden yelp from his mother made Netto spill his next bite of food on the table in shock, and while he was hurriedly mopping up the mess, Rockman turned to their mother.

"…Mama? Is something wrong?"

"No, no…It just made me remember what I'd seen on the broadcast about the strange illness, you know? They said that so far, all of the victims had reported that their Navis had been severely exhausted for at least a day before the illness came into full force…I might just be overreacting, though…"

"Wait, they did?" Netto cried out. "Rockman-!"

"Un! Mama, may we be excused? We want to go next door really quick…"

"Alright…be careful, you two…" Haruka sighed as Netto grabbed Rockman's PET and rushed out of the house.

"I really do hope I'm just overreacting…"

**0-0-0-0-0**

Netto hesitated outside the door to Meiru's home for a few moments before ringing the doorbell. There was no answer.

"She said that she wasn't going out today, wasn't she?"

"Un. They should be eating dinner by now, but even so…Netto-kun?" Rockman exclaimed suddenly as he saw Netto trying to turn the doorknob.

"This could possibly be an emergency, Rockman, we don't have time to waste-ah, it's not locked…"

"Even so-" Rockman's protests were cut off as they opened the door.

The inside of the house was up in flames.

* * *

**[[ooc]]: Oooh. This can't be good. What will happen next? Stay tuned!**


	4. Chapter 4

**[A/N]: FINALLY, A DECENT-SIZED CHAPTER. SUDDENLY, PLOT! **

* * *

**_Chapter 4_**

The sight of the room engulfed in fire transfixed both Netto and Rockman for a few moments before Netto found his voice.

"N-no!" And without another word, he rushed in.

"N-Netto-kun, wait-be careful!" Rockman's words of caution were ignored, as usual.

"Meiru-chan! Oi! Can you hear me?" Netto looked around the room until he spotted her, lying face down on the floor in the dining area. He quickly rushed to her side, reaching out to turn her over. "Are you all ri…ght?"

His hand went straight through her. She was an illusion. "W-what?"

"Netto-kun! Stop and focus for a second. This fire…" Netto did as he was told and came to the same conclusion that Rockman had.

"…There's no heat! This fire…it's not real? What's going on?"

"I don't know, Netto-kun…but this entire first floor, it's soaked in that strange energy that I felt in those woods!"

"You mean that those viruses…they could be here causing all this too?"

"It's possible! We should look through the rest of the house, Netto-kun! If Meiru-chan and Roll-chan are still here…they're in no condition to be fighting off those!"

"Right, let's go!"

As Netto made his way up to the second floor, the strange viruses from before really did find their way into Rockman's PET several times, and they had to stop to fight them off. There were more than those weird Mettaurs now: strange machine guns, rockets that looked like birds…they were all familiar, yet different at the same time. The heat, nonexistent at first, slowly got more intense as he neared Meiru's room.

"W-what? I thought this fire wasn't real, Rockman!"

"It's real up here! Hurry, Meiru-chan's probably trapped!"

"Un!" With that, Netto charged at Meiru's door. It took him ramming into it several times before he could force it open, and not a moment too soon. Meiru was barely conscious, coughing weakly into her hand as she tried to sit up on her bed. The smoke in her room was very thick and it reduced Netto to a coughing fit of his own for some time before he could make his way to Meiru.

"Let's get her out of here before we try to figure out what's going on, Netto-kun…" Rockman cautioned. Netto couldn't respond as he was still coughing, but he did listen, helping Meiru to her feet and slinging her arm over his shoulder so he could get her out. It took them several minutes to shuffle their way out, and by that time even the first floor was starting to heat up.

Meiru started coming to once Netto propped her up against the fence.

"N-Netto-kun…"

"Oh good, you're awake…is there anyone else in the house, Meiru-chan?"

"N-no…my parents haven't come home yet. B-but…Roll…"

"Roll-chan? What happened to her, Meiru-chan? The viruses didn't get to her, did they?" Rockman asked frantically as Meiru stopped talking to cough.

"I…I think she's the one making this fire…"

"WHAT?" both Netto and Rockman exclaimed.

"But…but Roll doesn't specialize in fire, Meiru-chan!"

"I-I know but…there's something weird about her, Netto-kun. She hadn't gotten any better, and then suddenly the PET…it made a weird buzzing noise. And Roll was screaming…there was this red stuff forming around her, and it looked like it was hurting her. Then she suddenly vanished from the PET, and before I knew what was happening, my room…"

"Vanished? Is she alright?"

"I don't know…but I think she jacked out of my PET to somewhere in the house…whatever is coming out of her, I think that's what's causing all this…"

"Okay. You rest here, Meiru-chan. I'm going in to get Roll out. She definitely needs to have papa take a look at her…"

"Netto-kun, you can't! It's dangerous…" She started coughing again and Netto had to steady her.

"Somebody has to stop this before the rest of the fire turns real, Meiru-chan. And if this is that strange radiation that was causing the sickness, then we have to get her out of it before it's too late and she's quarantined!"

"Netto-kun!" But before she could say anything more, he had run back into the house. She put her hands together, coughing weakly even as she prayed.

_Be safe…_

**-0-0-0-0-0-**

Netto found himself sweating as he reentered the house.

"It's getting a little hotter now, isn't it, Rockman?"

"Joking now, at a time like this? Netto-kun, we don't have time to waste! We need to find where Roll-or that red stuff Meiru-chan was talking about-is and how they're making this fire!"

"How about the oven?"

"Oven?"

"Yeah, last time there was a fire in this house, it was because of the oven, wasn't it?"

"But…Fireman was in there that time, Netto-kun!"

"So? Maybe it means that Roll's in there now!"

"We don't have time to waste on wild guesses, Netto-kun. The longer you stay in here…"

"We don't have time for nagging, either! I can't think of another good place! Ready, Rockman?"

"…Alright, Netto-kun! Hurry!"

"Of course! Plug in, , transmission!"

And with that, Rockman found himself inside the oven's home page. It turned out that Netto's hunch _was_ correct-the entire space was surrounded in flames and was getting hotter by the second.

"Watch out for any flames that head towards you, Rockman! That's how it was in here last time!"

"Un!" Rockman then found himself taking a few steps back. "There's something else we have to worry about here, Netto-kun! Those viruses…they're in here too!"

"That's to be expected, isn't it, Rockman? Battle Chip, Slot In! Air Shot!"

"Shoot!" And Rockman fired away at the viruses, deleting them with each hit. These viruses didn't look nearly as lost as the ones in the woods were, no, they were deliberately fueling the cyberfires in the oven. And they knew to attack him. Luckily, even if they did look different, their attacks were mostly the same, so Rockman found he could dodge them easily. As he neared the core of the oven's netspace, the virus attacks became more frequent, and the heatwaves that randomly blew through became more intense.

"Whatever's causing this…it's definitely at the core, Netto-kun!"

"I hear ya, Rockman! You're almost there! Get ready!"

"Right!"

Rockman braced himself as he approached the main controls for the oven. The Navi he found there…wasn't who he had expected. It was a familiar figure-red body, grey funnel-like head with fire burning the top, two burners for hands...

"F…Fireman?"

"No way! He was deleted ages ago, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, he was! And besides, Hinoken-san doesn't use FireMan anymore…he used his data to make HeatMan!"

"Maybe this is some kind of ghost data?"

"Ghost data isn't sentient enough to go around rampaging like this, Netto-kun! He's deliberately hacking into the control panel!"

"Is that so? Well then, we'll just have to delete him first, ask questions later! Battle Chip, Slot in! Vulcan!"

Rockman's left arm materialized into a machine gun, and he fired off several rounds at FireMan's back. The attack only made the Navi growl and turn around, returning fire with two large bursts of flame from his cannon-like arms. Rockmand barely managed to dodge, but the atmosphere around him got much hotter.

"And who are you?" the taller Navi queried, making Rockman freeze.

"You…don't recognize me, FireMan?"

"Huh, so you know who I am. Never mind that you're apparently the Navi for this house, either way, I gotta delete you! You're toast!"

"This is weird…" Netto mused, even as Rockman started dodging more of FireMan's attacks. "That can't be the real FireMan! He'd recognize us for sure!"

"You'd-think-so!" Rockman panted out. "It's like this is the first time we met!"

"Wait…the first time we met? It was in this oven, Rockman! And there was a fire, and we found Meiru-chan in the dining room! Something…this radiation is somehow making past events happen again?"

"What?" That distraction was enough for FireMan to slam the ground with his arms and make several columns of fire erupt from the ground, surrounding the small blue Navi. "Yaaaah!"

"Rockman! Rockman, are you okay?"

"F…fine…but this heat…ngh!" Rockman collapsed to one knee, panting. The columns of fire were too hot to pass right through, and Netto's folder had been recently reset…they didn't have any good water chips to put them out. How could he get out before he was burned to a crisp? "R-Rockbuster!" The shot did little to disperse the fire in front of him, no matter how much he shot.

"Ha! I told you that you'd be toast! Next time, stay out of the kitchen, little Navi! Of course, there won't be a next time for you!" FireMan raised his arms, and the columns of fire became hotter, thicker, and more intense.

"Rockman! Darn it…" What could Netto do? How could he get rid Rockman free from those columns when they reached from the floor to the ceiling?

Wait…they came from the floor…

"Battle Chip, Slot in! CrakShot!"

Rockman stood up and stomped the floor with his foot. The floor panel that the column directly in front of him was originating from suddenly leapt up from the floor, and with a wave of Rockman's hand, the fire-laden tile was sent hurtling at FireMan. The taller Navi, not expecting the sudden attack, was blindsided by the attack and was hit straight on, engulfed in his own fire.

"G-gaaaaaaahhh!"

"Good thinking, Netto-kun!"

"Right, let's finish this! Battle Chip, Slot in! WideSword!"

Rockman's left hand materialized into a glowing sword, and, jumping over the hole he had left in the floor, he charged straight at FireMan, who was still trying to throw off the flames. He was left open and was hit straight on, the sword slashing straight through his torso.

"Yaaaaaarrrrghhhh!" FireMan screamed as he was thrown back. His body began to glow a deep, seething red that engulfed his entire body. The red glow looked almost…solid, like a molten substance that was moving of its own accord. The shape that had been Fireman's body melted away, forming itself into a sphere, before shattering.

Rockman watched in horror as the crimson sphere broke open to reveal Roll's bruised and broken body suspended in midair for a few terrifying seconds before she crashed to the ground.

"N-no…we didn't just…" Netto breathed, unable to believe it himself. Had they really…

"Roll-chan!" Rockman cried out, rushing forward. He stopped when he heard her groan, let out a sigh of relief as she started to push herself up. Netto let out a triumphant cheer when it looked like she was still conscious, and Rockman started running towards her again.

"Oh, thank goodness. Roll-"

"_STAY AWAY!"_ Roll suddenly cried out, making Rockman freeze in his tracks. She sounded so…scared…

"R…Roll-chan?" He tried taking another step forward before Roll let out a bloodcurdling scream.

_"YIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA**AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"**_ Her voice audibly changed partway through the scream, becoming distorted, twisted and sounding distinctly inhuman. As she screamed, more of that same red substance began to form around her, twisting itself around her into a pulsating, writhing vortex.

"Roll-chan? What's going on?"

"Rockman! Do you think it's that same red stuff that Meiru was talking about? That must be what's causing all this!"

"Looks like it! But…how can we get through to her? It looks like it's hurting her!"

"Try blasting it! Battle Chip, Slot in! Cannon!" Rockman fired away as he was told, but nothing made a dent in the swirling red mass. "N-no!"

The vortex grew and grew, looking more like some sort of crimson storm. Black, static-like substance was forming around it as well, and as more and more of it clumped together, it seemed to almost…crystallize into that same red substance.

"Whatever's going on, it's growing, and fast! Hurry, Rockman! Get Roll out of there!"

"R-Right!" Without hesitation, Rockman charged in, reaching out for the pink Navi. "Roll-chan! Where are you?"

"G-get away…" Her voice was weak and quavering. "It hurts…it'll get you too…"

"I can't leave you here like this! Please, grab my hand!"

"I…can't…"

"Please, try! I can't find you! And I'm not leaving until I do!"

"G…guh…" Rockman groped around blindly until he grasped a weakly twitching hand, pulling. Roll was pulled straight into his arms. "R-Rockman…"

"Let's get out of here-gaah!" Rockman felt a pounding sensation in his head, he couldn't move…

"Rockman? Rockman, are you okay?" Netto cried out.

"M…my body…it's going numb…I can't move!"

"Rockman?" Suddenly, Netto's view of his Navi was cut off by a wave of more of that red substance. "Rockman? Please, respond! You gotta get out of there!"

There was no response. Rockman's cries were getting cut off by that red substance. "Darn it! Rockman! _Rockman!_"

"Netto-kun!" No luck. Rockman grimaced. Would this stuff really swallow them up? He looked up…and saw the spiraling swirl of crimson suddenly stop, then change direction. It looked as if it was getting sucked up by something…

"R…man! Roc….an! Rockman! Are you there? Respond!" Netto's voice was finally able to get through, now that the red substance was dispersing.

"N-Netto-kun! That strange stuff, it's…!"

"I know! What's sucking it up, do you know?"

"I'm looking…" Rockman quickly turned his head around, following the trail that the red substance had formed into. It spiraled up and up, winding around the tall control panel. The cyberfires transformed into that same red substance as well, and swirled upwards and around them, following an arc along the ceiling and combining with the rest of the crimson mass at the top of the control panel. Standing at the very top of the tall control panel was a human-like figure, the crimson mass swirling around it before disappearing into a device that was on its extended left arm.

"W…who is that?" Rockman gently propped Roll up against the control panel, before straining to get a closer look at the shadowy figure. It was definitely some sort of human-like Navi around Rockman's size, with hair that spiked out past its helmet in an almost comet-like shape. All he could really make out was the glowing red visor that apparently covered its eyes, as well as the device on its arm that was glowing red as it absorbed the crimson substance.

"That figure…it looks almost like you, doesn't it?"

"Almost…" And with that Rockman jumped up to investigate, landing on the control panel first before leaping up.

The figure was quicker. As soon as Rockman made a move to jump, it had jumped off the panel and transformed into a bright blue streak of light. The crimson continued to swirl around it as the beam of light flew, but no matter how much the light absorbed it, it didn't change color at all. The light flew around the computer space, absorbing all of the red substance before it streaked off into the distance.

"W-Wait!" But it was too late. The light was gone.

"Yaaaaargh!" Netto's screaming jolted Rockman out of his shocked state and back into awareness.

"Netto-kun! Are you alright?"

"A…a…a light! A light just-!"

Netto didn't say anymore. He was too tongue-tied, watching the blue streak light come bursting out of the oven's netspace and streak around the room. It took a straight path up the stairs, and as it did, all of the heat and the flames seemed to vanish immediately, turning into red light and swirling around it. It made for a hauntingly beautiful sight, if a brief one. It was gone within seconds.

"What…what was that…?"

* * *

**[[ooc]]: And now the real stuff begins! Anyone who recalls this is a crossover-you'll likely be able to identify the red substance easily! The thing that was really holding me back was the fight scene. I finally decided to go with the battle chip list from BN6, since this happens maybe a few weeks or so after Netto graduates at the end of BN6. Once that was decided, writing a scene was a little easier. **

**Also, I belatedly realized as I was writing this chapter that Meiru's house was targeted in the _anime,_ not the game. I didn't realize until I actually looked up game dialogue for FireMan. That's what I get for BN1 being the only BN game I haven't actually played yet, huh? But, the first plot thread is dependent on Meiru's house being attacked for reasons that will be revealed later on, and are actually hinted at in this chapter. So this event will be anime-verse. But it really is meant to be game-verse, sorry! **

**Until next time!**


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